King Salman Energy Park (SPARK), received the 2021 U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Leadership Award for the Middle East in recognition of SPARK’s contribution to creating sustainable, healthier, equitable and resilient buildings, cities and communities.
Located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, SPARK was the first industrial city in the world to obtain Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver Certification, a rating program that evaluates buildings and awards points in six areas, such as innovation and design process..
Green buildings are constructed to minimise on-site grading, saves natural resources by using alternative building materials, and recycles construction waste rather than dumping truck-loads into landfills. The way they do that is by designing interior spaces that have natural lighting and outdoor views, while highly efficient HVAC (heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning) systems and low-VOC (volatile organic compound) materials like paint, flooring, and furniture create a superior indoor air quality.
President and CEO Saif Al Qahtani commented, “At SPARK, we are committed to ensuring sustainable solutions are continuously implemented as we grow to become the leading energy-centric ecosystem in the world. We have achieved many firsts in our initial stages of development and will continue to adopt and support innovative initiatives that help improve the quality of life for our people, while also strengthening our business and the Kingdom’s economy. We are very proud of our team and the work they have done to guarantee SPARK provides long-term value and supports national and regional programs aimed at building a more sustainable future.”
Helping the environment is not the only advantage to eco-friendly construction. Green buildings can also boost employee productivity by approximately 15%, in part because they use alternative building materials that don’t emit toxins, like formaldehyde, that are commonly found in standard building materials and workplaces. Moreover, green design criteria—including abundant daylighting, individual climate controls, and outdoor views—raise morale and employee satisfaction, which also improves productivity.
